Mikey's Coming of Age
by Fandommused
Summary: Rated M for graphic violence. Mikey encounters an enemy and must fight. He wins, cuz he is awesome, but must learn to live with himself. Will he recover from the wounds? Physically, probably. Mentally, maybe not so. What secret is he keeping from his brothers? Will Mikey go back to the way he was? Can he? Will the team? Probably a four shot, is too long for one. 2nd Fanfic Ever!


Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the storyline, all characters and rights from the show TMNT go to their respective creators/owners.

2nd Fanfiction ever, still getting used to this. Leave a review so I can maybe improve or add something you like. Comments help shape the story! Anyway, here it is!

Chapter 1

Mikey knew he wasn't going to hear the end of this. Ever. Although, he mused, If I play this right, maybe they'll see it through my eyes?...Nah. That would require a very careful choice of words, and Mikey knew he would be too tired to do that.

In fact, he'd probably be unconscious when he got home. No better way to make my bros care then to almost die!

Though, Mikey knew they cared about him. They just sometimes forgot he really wasn't the six year old they teased him of being. No matter how many times Leo reminded him that he was not in fact six years old, that didn't stop them from treating him like one.

Pretty hypocritical if you ask me...Ha! Donnie probably doesn't think I even know what that word means…

"Woah!" Mikey said, surprised. Okay, no more getting distracted! Before any attempt of carefully weaving his way out of punishment , and telling Donnie he could in fact use that word in a sentence, he needed to make it out of this alive first!

"Getting distracted in the middle of a fight? You really are the dumb one, aren't you?" Mikey's enemy asked.

Mikey narrowed his eyes as he reevaluated his enemy. Or, enemies. There were originally two Foot ninja Elites and around twenty-seven..? He might have counted twenty-eight, foot bots. Now though, after 30 long minutes, mind you, of fighting, many cuts and bruises, and one broken nunchuck later, there was only one Elite left.

And said Elite was looking rough, Mikey noticed with a tired grin. His hat was gone, cape torn, and armor pierced, left side of his chest plate hanging loosely in front of him. Good thing Mikey had taught himself in more weapons than just his nunchucks, although he liked his by far, the best.

"What do you find funny, Turtle?" the Elite asked him.

"You mean, besides your face, armor, clan, master, cape-" Mikey listed sarcastically.

"Grrrrrr." the Elite growled. Actually growled. Mikey blinked at him.

"Oh, so you wanted an actual answer?" Mikey innocently asked. Mikey was stalling. And as much as he hated to admit it, so was his enemy. They were almost evenly matched, this ninja also being trained wielding a nunchuck.

"As much as I hate letting you take a breather, we both know how this is going to end. You will die, Insolent Turtle, by my hand, with a weapon of your choice. But, you fight admirably and are a surprisingly honorable opponent. So, I will allow you this gift...only if you answer my question."

Mikey tried to wrap his head around all he just said. He's giving me a breather, to have a fair fight?

"Since when are the Foot concerned with honor in battle? Seems pretty ironic since you guys terrorize the city's innocent people." Mikey states.

Mikey watches as the Elite takes a breath and relaxes his fighting position slightly. He looked annoyed, Mikey noticed. He probably did want me to answer that question then…

"Not all in the Foot Clan are as dishonorable as you say. I am from Japan, and came here to serve my master directly. His orders are to destroy you for a wrong that your family has done to him. It is in my blood to be loyal to him, as my whole family and generations before have. If he steals and fights, it is with and relating to other gangs that do terrorize this city. He simply wants to be stronger to deter violence. When he controls the city, there will be peace under his rule." the Elite reveals.

"What about the fact that Karai isn't even his daughter, and that it's wrong to control a whole city? It belongs to the people." Mikey says strongly.

"Are 'the people' as you say, training and protecting themselves from their enemies? Do they train their young in that art of defense? No, they allow themselves to be controlled. Why is it wrong to control all if it leads to no strong group over others, just one clan? And are you, Turtle, part of the people as well? It is not unknown that you must hide from the very people you claim to protect." the Elite ninja responds.

Again, Mikey takes a second to process this. What the ninja was saying was true, partially. But…

"We don't need a reason to protect innocent people. Oblivious or not, it is not okay to have a control over other living creatures. That is simply the lifestyle here, dude. And I can understand you being loyal to the Shredder and his cause. But the people never said it was okay for other gangs to harm them, the Foot clan included." Mikey responds carefully."

"Outside the point, we will never see eye to eye, However, as we both are two ninja trained to fight till the death for our clans, I wanted to fight an honorable fight, as you have not personally wronged me. Now, Turtle, it is time for you to meet your end." the Elite said lowly, sending shivers down Mikey's spine.

"Wait." Mikey calls out just before the Elite can pounce.

The ninja in question stops and lowers his weapon, reluctantly. Mikey can feel all the injuries coming back at him as the adrenaline has already started to leave him, but he pushes those aside. Most of his body was becoming numb anyway…

"I know, I know I'm stalling. But I want to know your name. My name is not 'INsolent Turtle', it is Michelangelo Hamato. I am fifteen years old, love pizza, and I am the fourth son of Splinter Hamato." Mikey says evenly, looking at his enemy right in the eyes.

The Elite takes a while in responding, looking surprised at the question and doubting if he should give out such information. But, he eventually states, "My name is Eileen Hattori. I am sixteen years of age, I am an Elite Shinobi of the Japanese Foot Clan under Master Shredder's direction, and I am the youngest out of two older siblings."

Mikey can't really see Eileen's face under the mask, but he wonders if he's scared. He's just about my age… And they might very well fight until one of them is unable to continue, and possibly dies.

Mikey suddenly felt very cold. Master Splinter, Leo, Raph, Donnie...I'm so sorry. Mikey was going to fight. He was going to give this his all. He owed Eileen that much. And, he reminded himself, young or not, that guy is willing to kill him in a heartbeat!

"What would you be doing if you weren't a ninja in New York?" Mikey asks.

Eileen now really looked annoyed, and replied coolly, "What does that have to do with anything, Insolen-Michaelangelo? We are not friends, and you will die tonight. Now. Ready yourself."

Mikey started slightly panicking, his injuries and family completely forgotten. "Dude, we are about to try to kill each other!...I have to know."

A look MIkey couldn't identify crossed his enemy's face. Why does he look so...The ninja cuts in, "This is your first time fighting to the death."-it was a statement, bluntly stated- "If you win, you will have become a murderer. But, Michaelangelo, I will not hesitate, as I have already killed many in battle. So fight with everything you have against me, if you want to go home."

Mikey felt numb now. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't process….It was a kid! Just like him...And yet, they had to fight...Why? Mikey found himself torn, doubting.

...You will have become a murderer… Mikey grew colder and more numb. Everything became black and white as his enemy-no, Eileen, charged.

Mikey blocked every hit with his one nunchuck, his forearms, long ago numb, took what his weapon could not. MIkey dodged, twisted, turned, backflipped, and stiked Eileen, with everything he had.

Don't think...Don't think!...Don't think about it!...Don't.

A glazed look entered his eyes and Mikey found himself fighting on autopilot. It wasn't him in battle anymore, it was a turtle and a foot ninja. In a fight to the death...

One adversary versus another.

Fighting for life.

Fighting for survival.

We are not friends…I will not hesitate...

Mikey lost his concentration and his nunchuck was thrown out of his three-fingered grip. Not even a second later, the ninja kicked the turtle in the chest, sending his flying a couple yards across the rooftop, and into a wall. The wind was knocked out of Mikey.

That hurt. Mikey slowly rose to his feet, his legs and arms slowly oozing blood from various cuts. He made it to his knees before the searing pain in his chest stopped him.

That hurt a lot! I can't...seem to...get air!

The ninja was on him again, pulling the turtle roughly to his feet and twirling his nunchuck toward Mikey's head. It hit its mark with a satisfying CRACK!

Mikey fell to the ground, looking up at the ninja. He faintly heard the words the ninja was screaming, but he couldn't make them out.

The ninja is going to kill me.

Muscles screaming their protests, Mikey swiftly swept his legs under the ninja, knocking him to the ground.

With a grace Mikey didn't know he possessed, he backflipped toward a fallen footbot. He picked up its sword and turned to face the ninja standing at the ready.

The turtle was thinking. He only saw himself and the ninja. The ninja stood for death now, no longer the sixteen year old kid Mikey had thought him to be.

As the ninja regained his bearings, Mikey stoically ran a self evaluation of his injuries. Judging by the way it seriously heart to breathe, but not unbearingly so...bruised ribs...cut on my right arm will need stitches...legs are okay, just need ice later...shell is okay….head will need ice...Not a concussion

The ninja stood finally, took on a fighting stance, and the battle resumed.

It was a nasty battle. Mikey barely processed any of it. The two were tied. Mikey was on the offensive, using his sword to reach long distance, forcing the ninja back, and used his body to deliver surprisingly strong blows. Mikey threw punches and kicks and body slams, using every trick in his book, ninjitsu related or not, to force the Elite into the ground.

His body felt the affects of such abuse. Broken hand, scraped elbows on the armor, bloody knuckles...But Mikey didn't think. Didn't feel. The turtle was slammed hard into a pole on the roof, and momentarily saw stars, but continued on, using his sword with deadly grace to keep the ninja back.

It was a hard battle, but the ninja gradually lost ground. Mikey sliced, and the ninja hit, both trading blow after blow. When the ninja finally pushed Mikey back, Mikey struck, jabbing and turning his sword handle to hit the ninja in the side of the head, stunning him.

Mikey then went to deliver the final blow, when the ninja pulled out a knife, dropping his nunchuck, a second before Mikey could. With the sound of the nunchuck hitting the floor, Mikey experienced an onslaught of pain in his shoulder where the weapon was buried nearly to the hilt.

Mikey screamed, a scream of pure pain and exhaustion. But he wouldn't let his body give out.

He wanted to live. He needed to go home. He would not leave his brothers…

Grabbing the ninjas hand swiftly, Mikey turned the sword down diagonally and cut the ninja's torso open...Not, of course, before the ninja also dealt what he felt was to be the final strike and pulled the knife down as well, cutting Mikey's plastron about two inches…

It was as far as he could go before he began to die. MIkey tried not to hear, tried to set the ninja down as gently as he could...

The fighting is done...it's over…

But the Elite had other plans. With Mikey still leaned over him, he brokenly whispered, in a voice choking on blood, "Author….If-*cough*- If I...wasn't a *inhale* ninja… I would *cough cough* write…*exhale* poetry…"

Mikey shook as he never had, silent tears rolled down as he looked at his enemy. Those were the last things the Elite ninja said. To Mikey of all people.

But then Mikey was the only person around. He had been the one to kill him…

But Mikey couldn't dwell on that too long.

All of a sudden, all his injuries decided to make themselves known. He felt just how tired he was. The only reason he wasn't unconscious was the knife still in his plastron..

And it hurt. It throbbed in time with his heart beat, but it wasn't enough to knock him out. In fact, that's what kept him conscious. Mikey remembered Donnie's voice, even at a time like this… "If a weapon ever impales you, leave it in. If you pull it out-"

"You'll bleed out faster." Mikey repeated.

Mikey was tired. And in pain. And numb, and so emotionally wrung out he couldn't bring himself to think about anything. So he didn't. He let one thought completely consume his mind,

Get Donnie. Donnie can fix it.

Mikey went, leaving the foot bots, one body, and all the destruction behind.

Mikey made it home. After slowly, so slowly trudging along the sewer walls, he finally made it to the wall that hid the lair doors. After pushing the mechanism and pushing through the opening formed in the wall, Mikey made it to the doors. He opened them, but his legs wouldn't carry him any further.

By now, Mikey was more of a shell of himself than his actual self. He was exhausted, and had been seeing dots in front of his eyes for the last hour. To keep himself awake, he constantly resorted to reminding himself of what he was doing,

"Donnie. Get Donnie, Donnie can fix it….Get Donnie, Donnie can fix it. Get Donnie, Donnie can fix it. Get Donnie, Donnie can fix it. Get Donnie…"

It was mumbling this, that he gathered the attention of a passing by Raph, holding a plate with a sandwich on it….

CRACK! Went the plate, as Raph dropped it in absolute shock and horror as his eyes widened at the view that was Mikey. For a moment, Raph was paralyzed.

"Mikey?..." He sputtered.

"M-Mikey! Mikey!? What-..." Raph ran to the smaller, exhausted turtle…

Who chose then to sway dangerously forward, toward the steps…

"DONNIE! Donnie! Get over here, NOW! Please! Donnie!" Raph shakily yelled as he finally reached Mikey and caught him just as he crumpled, saving him a tumble down the stairs.

"Mikey...Mikey, please, PLEASE say somethin'...Mike-" Raph whispered frantically looking down at his little brother, breaking off as he took a look at his body.

Mikey didn't look good, by now shaking and softly wheezing out his breaths. He was pale, and blood was all over him in many spots. He was sporting many bruises on his legs, up his plastron, and, to Raph's horror, had the hilt of a knife buried in his upper chest.

"DO-NNIE!" Raph yelled, voice cracking, wondering how the shell they were taking so long, NOW of all times. And that was when he could finally understand what it was Mikey was mumbling…

Completely not registering his family yelling and rushing behind him, Raph looked at Mikey's face and found his eyes slightly open, staring at him.

Mikey said some words that Raph would never forget.

"R-aph?...Donnie. Get Donnie. Donnie can fix it. Get Donnie, Donnie can fix it…" He trailed off.

"Mikey! Mikey! Michaelangelo!" Raph heard none of that.

Suddenly, Donnie was by his side, staring at their youngest brother, who by now had finally gone limp in Raph's arms.

"I'm here, Mikey. I'm here." Donnie whispered softly. And just like that, a flip was switched and he was barking orders.

"Leo, go prep the lab!" Leo left in a hurry, not looking back.

"Master Splinter- MASTER SPLINTER!" Both Raph and Master Splinter looked at Donnie, snapped out of it.

Donnie was checking Mikey's pulse and listening to his chest.

"Raph, take Mikey to the lab!" Raph immediately began to get up, gently moving the small turtle in hopes not to injure him further, though Mikey never made a sound. Raph quickly ran off, using the most light steps he'd ever taken and rushed to the lab.

Donnie turned to their father and master, "Father. If you need a moment, please go and wait here and then go into the lab. I'd like your help, but I don't want another patient." He completely dropped his guard- "Please Father, snap out of it...I need your help."

It was then Splinter noticed Donnie was, in fact, shaking. But his eyes and shoulders were firm, even if he did have fear in his eyes.

Splinter opened his mouth and told his third oldest son, "Donatello. I will need a moment out here, but I will go in and help you. You will need water and towels, I will get them. I'm sorry if I frightened you. I've just never seen Michaelangelo-...I panicked. But, I will offer you my steady hands if you need them. Go, my son, and help your brothers, I will assist you. You can do this, my son. We all believe in you. And you are not alone."

Giving the turtles in purple a hug, he quickly added, "Hurry! I will be in the lab in a moment!"

And with that, Donnie rushed to the lab, already evaluating from what he saw to make a priority list. Master Splinter rushed to the kitchen to gather water, and the whole family prepared themselves for the process of tending to the Mikey's wounds. 


End file.
